


Uncharted Territory

by skipper



Category: Jonas Brothers
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:33:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27680756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skipper/pseuds/skipper
Summary: Nick is her best friend. Joe is his older brother.When Nick leaves for college, Olivia begins to see Joe in a new light.She feels things she never expected to feel and falls for someone she never expected fall for.When it all comes down to it, he was simply the uncharted territory she’d yet to map.
Relationships: Joe Jonas/Original Female Character(s), Nick Jonas/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a banner someone created for me once. I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> [](default.asp)

Olivia Matthews sprinted up the familiar stairs of her best friend’s home, her footsteps quiet despite her rapid movements and she smiled with the knowledge that Nick wouldn’t know she was coming yet. She rounded the corner to the right and moved towards the familiar room, an ache growing in her stomach knowing how soon it was going to be over. In a matter of hours, she was going to lose her closest friend, and she’d be on her own again. Nick was leaving her for the University, but nevertheless, Olivia knew full well it was a good thing, and she kept the smile on her face as she knocked on the door.

“Oh, Nicky-poo,” Olivia sang as she opened his door, having earned a grunt of approval for her entry. She was not surprised to see him already awake and slipping on his shoes, tying each in only a form that could be called his way.

She hopped over to his bed, still humming the same tune and he shook his head at her antics, especially as she dissolved into a fit of laughter beside him. Olivia nudged his side with her elbow in time with her song until he started laughing, and when he looked over, she gave him a wide smile. With a huff, she adjusted her ponytail back behind her shoulder. Her thick, brown locks, which ran near her waistline when left down, were often getting in the way, but she loved her hair too much to consider truly getting rid of it.

“Olive,” Nick mused, eyes on her and she felt content in that moment, despite the light moment, “You are one silly girl.” She shrugged in response, not having words, knowing how much she was truly going to miss him. They stood, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, having to lean down as her head only reached just below his shoulder.

They both sighed at the sight of the large number of boxes and bags that he was taking with him. The tower of them were stacked three high in the corner and she knew without question that Nick had done it on purpose. After a moment, her eyes grew tired of staring, knowing they were ready to be hauled down the stairs and into the back of his mother’s van. Nick moved towards the stacks and Olivia immediately groaned in disapproval, much to his amusement.

“Do we really have to carry all of these?” she asked in exasperation. She moved to stand beside him, and she smiled at the concentrated look on his face. He was calculating in his head the perfect way to carry them down, most likely the way to it the fastest and with the most ease. Nick was so particular in that way. She shook her head, sighing softly, that was her Nicky, “Do you really need to take of this stuff?”

“Yes, it’s college,” he grinned, his excitement seeping through his features. “I need all of that stuff, if you were going away, you’d understand.” She stared up at him, sticking her lips into a pout to hide her envy, and he rolled his eyes. She wondered if he knew just how much she wanted to be in his shoes, but her family didn’t have the resources available that he did, leaving her unable to go away.

“I’m just here for moral support, after all,” Olivia smiled cheekily, forcing herself from lingering on such hurtful thoughts. She’d never in a million years consider hurting Nick’s feelings on his special day. She crossed her arms over her chest as he moved to hand her the smallest box, most likely one of the lightest. It was his way. She took it in her arms, glancing back to the rest of the pile, “So really? Who else is going to help us?” 

“Joe,” Nick answered with a laugh, grabbing a large one for himself to carry.

Olivia rolled her eyes as he struggled, almost as though he needed to prove himself to her, a ridiculous notion in her mind. Nick shoved her to the side as she lingered in the door, passing without a word as he moved towards the front door. She followed behind, taking her time down the stairs, setting her box on his where he’d dropped it in the foyer. Nick turned back to her and she could smell what was coming from the kitchen before he had to say a word.

“Come on, mom’s making chocolate chip pancakes,” Nick said with a smile, his hand waving her towards him. They both knew they were her favorite.

“Yes,” she smiled softly, feeling apprehensive outside the comfort of his room. She breathed in the scent of the breakfast food and found the courage to follow along. She trailed behind him into the kitchen to find her Aunt Suzie and Nick’s mother in a deep conversation, Denise’s eyes filled with tears, especially as she noticed Nick entering the room, and Olivia immediately frowned at the sight, understanding it completely.

“Olivia,” Denise smiled, opening her arms and she reluctantly entered the embrace. Olivia felt embarrassed, realizing that not only had she forgotten to greet the older woman when she first arrived at the house, but should have offered her some comfort before then. The woman held her tightly, lingering longer than usual and Olivia rested her head against her in response. Denise finally let go and smiled, “Thank you so much for coming today… Nicholas appreciates the help.”

“Of course,” Olivia nodded. She glanced to Nick as Suzie pressed a hand against her back, pushing her toward the food. It was a silent urging, as though the apprehension was already written across her forehead.

Olivia followed Nick, watching as he poured a glass of juice along with grabbing a fork and knife. Olivia glanced at the jug of apple juice sitting on the counter before she walked behind him to the table, taking a seat across from him. She nudged Nick’s shin with her toe, glancing towards Denise, and felt an ounce of confident with her smile as she watched them from her place at the table.

“We’re finally getting rid of your favorite son,” Olivia teased, “I’m glad to be here to celebrate.”

“Hardy har-har,” Nick rolled his eyes, as he prodded her back with his foot. Denise suddenly moved from the counter and pressed her hand firmly on Nick’s shoulder. He immediately turned around, “Hi Suzie,” he said politely, “Thanks for coming.” Suzie nodded in response, and Denise shook her head as Nick turned to face the table once again. She returned to her and Suzie’s place by the counter as her eyes started to glisten once again.

“I’m not actually going to stay,” Suzie smiled, and Nick glanced towards her, nodding in understanding. Everyone was aware of her hectic work schedule. “I just wanted to see you off before you leave this morning.”

“She has to work tonight,” Olivia explained, as though it was necessary. Nick smiled, and a silence fell in the room, broken only by his mother’s sniffles. Nick seemed to remember the pancakes as his mother set a tall stack on the table, and Olivia knew she’d made far too many for the four of them.

“Here we go,” Denise spoke warmly, setting the syrup on the table between them. Olivia sat back, waiting for Nick to take his. She watched him, and then took her turn, grabbing two of her own. Glancing across the table, she shook her head as he vigorously covered his in syrup. She cringed at the sight, only putting a small bit of butter on each of hers.

“So is Joe coming?” Nick asked through a full mouth, causing Olivia to cry out in distaste. She shook her head in disgust causing him to grin, his pancakes in his teeth.

“Chew your food,” she scolded, and Nick blushed, grinning sheepishly as his mother cleared her throat and he swallowed the large bite. Olivia shook her head, “You’d think you were raised by wolves.”

“I’ve grown up around you, haven’t I?” he grinned, and she shrugged, shaking her head.

At a sudden slam of the front door, Olivia squirmed visibly in surprise, and she turned with wide eyes towards Nick. He immediately burst into a fit of laughter, causing her to blush deeply and her eyes were down at the table as she struggled to hide her embarrassment. After a moment, she glanced to see the culprit, Nick’s brother, Joe, entering the room. He was rubbing furiously at his eyes, his face still filled with obvious sleep, and she felt concern at the sight of him. Joe glanced in her direction and she instantly looked down. Olivia was uncomfortable in his presence, as she was with the entire family outside of Nick, and sometimes even Denise.

“Hello, Joseph,” Denise smiled warmly, hugging him loosely in his tired state. “Nicholas, tell your brother thank you for coming.”

“Thank you for coming, Joseph,” Nick mocked, clearly enjoying himself.

Olivia shook her head slightly at his antics, careful not to make it obvious. She kept her eyes on her food and tried to finish what was on her plate. Denise gave Nick a smack of the back of his head, and the others laughed at how they were with each other. Olivia smiled as she traced designs in the wood of the table with her eyes, uncertain how to join in just then.

After a moment of silence, Denise began speaking wistfully of Nick, bringing up various memories they shared, some that Olivia hadn’t heard before. It was obvious the older woman was undeniably sad about her son leaving. His brother, Kevin, had gone to school, but it wasn’t as far as Nick was about to go. Olivia remained reserved at the thought, Nick had been her best friend for so long and she couldn’t bear the thought of Nick going to a college so many hours away. It was a hard thing to swallow, not that she’d tell him that. She knew Nick was most likely aware but didn’t want to hear any additional comments on the issue. 

“We should leave soon,” Denise announced after several minutes and Olivia realized how long she’d been staring off, lost in her thoughts. Glancing at her watch, she sighed. It was half past seven and they had a long drive to the University.

Olivia stood from her place at the table and began rinsing her plate beside where Joe stood, still nursing his cup of coffee to wake up. She gave him a quick glance before turning away, unsure if she should speak to him or not. It had been a while since she’d even seen him, considering he'd always been the distant one in the family. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be absent at family gatherings or events. She could recall he’d been at their graduation ceremony a few months before, but outside of a congratulations from him, they hadn’t spoken.

Joe moved out just before graduating high school three years before, though considering what Nick had to say on the subject, it was hardly a surprise. What time Olivia did spend at the house, he was never a real presence in the family. Before she and Nick’s senior year, Olivia only visited on rare occasions, because she’d always found an excuse to avoid it. But once Nick was the only child left in the house, she felt a little more at ease. When all the brothers were present, there was the loud yelling and obnoxious arguments, and she always felt desperately out of place.

“Olive,” Nick whined from his place on the stairs, his eyes on her as she fell back into the couch. Olivia smirked, throwing her arms against the back of the couch and closed her eyes to show her getting comfortable. He stamped his foot, making her laugh and she opened her eyes to see him running at her, “You promised to help me.”

“I am,” she chuckled. “I’m moral support remember… it’s too early for me to work.” She sighed, throwing the back of her hand against her forehead in a sensational fashion.

Olivia squealed as Nick was suddenly there, easily picking up her small frame and throwing her over his shoulder. She yelled as he ran up the stairs with her held against him, her legs dangling against his chest. As they entered the room, her hands slapping his back playfully, he finally put her down, allowing her to stand on her own once again. She growled at him, though hadn’t stopped smiling. Olivia stepped closer in a threatening manner until she heard the sound behind her.

She whipped around to see Joe standing in the doorway, chuckling at their antics, and she immediately stepped back, her face flushed. Diverting her gaze, she looked towards the pile of boxes in a sense of shame. Joe walked past the two of them with two boxes in his hands, and with a quick glance at Nick’s face, she knew the boxes were the wrong ones to grab. After a moment, Nick’s scowl deepened, and he stared at her pointedly. Olivia nodded, moving forward to grab the ones he gestured toward. She grabbed it without a word, knowing he was already growing angry, and she hated being on the wrong side of that.

It took several minutes, but before long the three of them, with Nick’s specific guidance, had everything packed into the back of his mother’s van, ready to take him to college. This would be his first trimester on his awarded scholarship, at one of the most prestigious schools on this side of the coast. Though his eldest brother Kevin had attended the state college only a half hour away, Nick had obtained this scholarship to the private university several hours from their small town.

It was the first step in his big dreams to be a history professor at an Ivy League school, and Olivia knew he most likely had everything planned for thereafter as well. Olivia excelled in school as he had but had not been able to attain the desired scholarship, and without the needed means, could not go away to school. Though disappointed, she was looking forward to attending the local community college, it was within walking distance of the home she shared with her Aunt Suzie, and she would still get the education she needed to advance as a transfer student.

Nick went inside to retrieve Denise as Joe got into the van, leaving Olivia to stand alone. She watched the front door intently, releasing a breath of relief when Denise exited the house with Nick behind her. She smiled softly at the sight of Nick shaking his head when his mother fought to try to fix his unruly curly hair. With him coming close, Olivia decided to go ahead and get into the van.

“Come on, slow-poke,” Olivia said teasingly, before sliding into the middle seat of the van. Joe had already claimed the back seat, and Nick was taking longer than she expected. She sighed to herself, lost in her thoughts once again. Olivia and Nick had met in elementary school when she was new at the school, and in the town that she’d just moved to with her aunt. This was Suzie’s hometown but had moved away just after graduating college. However, after Olivia’s parents’ passing, her aunt and uncle had thought a change would do Olivia good.

It was a booster club meeting that brought Suzie and Denise to each other and somehow, they remembered going to high school together. Though they hadn’t been friends at that time, but with Olivia and Nick’s blooming friendship, their friendship grew as well. And when Olivia’s Uncle Charles passed a few months after moving to town, Denise stayed by Suzie’s side as she struggled to come to terms with another death in the family.

It was during that time that the play dates began, causing Nick and Olivia to become closer friends as the older women grew closer. And she and Nick remained friends through their years in school. Olivia had always been shy, but Nick had never left her behind, even when he became rather popular in junior high. He always had a lot of friends gathered around him, whereas Olivia remained reserved, and held onto only a few friends, but it was mostly just Nick.

As they grew older and began high school, Nick looked out for her. Olivia never stuck out in school, rarely catching the boys’ attention with her disproportionate features and horrible acne. Though it had long since faded, Nick was still watching. He was the protective older brother, especially critical of whom she dated, and Olivia appreciated having him there, even when it seemed stifling, at times. Olivia always knew he meant well. He was only watching out for his best friend. She did choose her own way a few times, dating Kyle in her junior and part of her senior year. However, Nick’s deductions tended to prove correct, especially during the horrible breakup, but he was there to help her through it all.

As Olivia watched him with his mother, she realized that he was truly leaving, and she really was happy for him. At the same time, she had so few friends that it hurt to think this was it for them. Until he returned at Thanksgiving, they would no longer be together. He had a few other friends attending the school near his, so she knew it wouldn’t be hard for him to fit in and find his niche, while she feared what her life would like without him around.

“You ready?” she was shaken from her thoughts as Nick slid into the seat beside her. He shut the door with a loud slam and Joe jumped up in the back, crying out softly, causing Nick to laugh loudly.

Olivia didn’t join in with the laughter, feeling concern for the older man once again, considering how exhausted he seemed. But once Joe went back to sleep, his presence was forgotten throughout the duration of the drive. There was a light easy conversation shared between she, Nick and Denise, nothing of what their destination was or that they were about to say goodbye. With Nick, it was easy to forget, but in the back of her mind, Olivia couldn’t let go of what was to come.


	2. Two

“Wow,” Olivia breathed as they approached the campus, the large building and wide courtyards were far more than she had expected. She wondered if all the big universities appeared this way. She had not attended when Nick took the different campus tours the previous spring, considering how many he’d gone to. She’d wanted to but work had to come first.

“Yeah,” Nick chuckled, and she could sense the nervousness that was now lacing his tone. She reached over gently squeezing his hand before releasing the hold, her eyes still on the window. A loud snore brought them out of their reverie and she involuntarily giggled at Joe, still asleep in the back and oblivious to their conversation.

“Why’d he even come?” she mused quietly, nearly a whisper, and it caused Nick to laugh. He shrugged and Denise spoke up from the front, her eyes glancing in the rear-view mirror towards them, and Olivia felt bad for the rude insinuation about her middle son.

“I conned him into a free meal,” Denise smiled, not even mentioning Olivia’s comment. “Besides it’s nice for him to spend some time with the family, ever since he got that dreaded apartment…”

“He’s just being independent,” Olivia spoke up, glancing to Nick, understanding the comparisons. “Just like Nick is… even if I don’t like it.” He shook his head, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and she leaned her head against the side of his arm.

“I’ll be back before you know it,” he whispered, and she nodded. Though they’d never had a relationship based on affection, as the day loomed when he would leave, she’d appreciated the hugs and silent touches of reassurance.

They arrived at Nick’s dorm building after a few minutes of circling the campus, and Nick and Denise headed in first to register, leaving Joe and Olivia to wait in the car. As the minutes ticked by, the only sounds were of Joe’s snores. After some time, his snores grew louder, and she felt bold, picking up the ice scraper from under her seat and began poking him. He needed to be awake soon anyway.

Joe swatted his arm at her, making her laugh in her surprise, and he slowly opened his eyes to see her staring at him over the back of the seat. Olivia dropped the scraper back to the floor and she watched him, despite herself. He reached a hand up, rubbing his eyes furiously, before moving from his stomach to his back in the seat. She watched him for several seconds but when his eyes didn’t open again, she turned, facing front once again.

“Where’d they go?” Joe asked, causing her to jump at the sudden sound of his voice. She turned, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, surprised to hear him addressing her.

“They said they had to register,” Olivia shrugged, speaking softly, not fully sure what was taking so long. Joe nodded, his eyes closing as he sat up, his head leaning against the window. She watched him again, noticing the deep purple lines beneath his eyes, the way his entire body was tense as though he hadn’t relaxed in days. “Why are you so tired?” she asked softly, and his eyes opened to meet hers.

“Uh, they fired somebody at work,” he explained, speaking slowly and she nodded in understanding, having been in similar predicaments before. “I worked like, _fuck_ … 65 hours this week?”

“Wow, I’m surprised you came then,” Olivia responded, her voice was quiet as she referred to the moving of Nick to his dorm. Joe shrugged, sighing softly and he fully opened his eyes to look at her.

“I wasn’t going to turn down a free meal,” he smirked lightly, causing her to laugh at his words and the smile that now covered his face.

“I wouldn’t either,” she grinned, “But sleep is always good too.” He smiled and nodded in agreement, his eyes closing for several seconds too long.

“At this point,” Joe mumbled, struggling to keep his eyes open, “I think I’ve been sleeping too long.” She nodded but didn’t move from where she rested her chin on the top of the headrest.

“I understand that,” she said softly. “I think we’ve all been there a time or two.” He cocked his head to the side, staring at her curiously, as though waiting for her to elaborate. She felt her cheeks flush, despite her shrug, “that’s my response to a hangover… just sleep it away, but at some point, it’s like I get too much sleep and can’t fully wake up.”

“Those are the times or twos are you were referring to?” he asked incredulously, and she dropped her eyes, biting her lip to hide her smile. She felt embarrassed for having mentioned it, and slowly glanced towards him, “this is really unexpected.”

“Why is that?” Olivia asked, glancing to his face and he grinned, shrugging his shoulders this time.

“Well, I always thought you were a little more like Nick,” he mused, and she broke out in a fit of laughter. “Apparently I was wrong?” he asked curiously.

“Um, we are,” she thought for a moment, “Nick and I are a curious sort of friends, I suppose…” She bit her lip before glancing back to Joe, whose face held the utmost confusion, “well, there’s just certain things we don’t tell each other, and certainly don’t ask.”

“I see,” Joe nodded, and Olivia shrugged. “And I take it he never asks about your hangover techniques,” she laughed, shaking her head, “what else doesn’t he ask about?”

“A few things,” she grinned coyly, smiling at him. Joe leaned back in the seat, his arms flexing as he moved his hands to rest on the back of his head and she found herself staring at the muscles there. She bit her lip, blushing at the thought that she was looking too long.

As the conversation ceased, Joe’s eyes began to close and didn’t seem to reopen. Olivia turned in her seat letting him drift once again, understanding that he desperately needed it. Nick returned just a few minutes later, and they were quiet as Denise moved the car to park in front of the intended building. Olivia stared with wide eyes, unsure if she was ready for this.

“Come on,” Nick grinned. He was unable to mask his excitement and Olivia nodded, feigning the happiness for him. He grabbed her hand, pulling her from the vehicle once the door was open, and they met his mom at the back.

“I guess we start hauling,” Denise said with a shrug. “It’s been a while since I did this,” she mused, and they knew she was referring to Kevin. Joe, who’d openly hated school, had opted to get go to a trade school for an auto collision repair certificate. Once he graduated, Joe got the job at the local shop and that’s the last Olivia knew of it.

“Where’s Joe?” Olivia asked suddenly and Nick shrugged, taking the first load. She ventured around the car, poking her head inside to hear Joe’s soft snores. She giggled at the sound, and hesitantly grabbed at Joe’s pant leg, gently shaking it to arouse him. After a few attempts, he jumped, sitting straight up, and looking around in confusion.

“We’re here,” she informed him, and Joe nodded, finally looking her way. She bit her lip, smiling as she lowered her voice in a mock scolding, “now hurry up. He’s getting testy.”

“I’m coming,” he said with a slow smile, his eyes on her. She nodded, flushing slightly as the sensation arose in her stomach, and she quickly moved away from the door to shake it off.

Olivia took a few bags from the ground where they sat behind the car, holding them tightly in her fists as she smiled to herself. She walked slowly, waiting for Joe, knowing he hadn’t heard which room they were heading. Nick opened the door as they reached it and they followed him inside.

Nick led them down the hall, his room the last on the far right. As they entered, Olivia’s eyes widened in surprise. The room was small, much smaller than she expected. Luckily, his roommate hadn’t arrived, so they didn’t have to stand only on his half of the room.

“This is nice,” she commented carefully, her eyes remaining wide as she looked around. Nick shrugged, more than happy to be there and she knew he would’ve been happy with anything that was clean.

Nick immediately began organizing the bags and boxes in a specific order, one that Olivia knew to stay away from, you could not assist him in his organizing. She sat down on the bed, watching him work silently but with precision, much as he did with everything. He was stubborn and particular, a good trait and a bad one all the same, and it had led to many arguments over the years.

“This is it,” Joe announced, and her eyes widened realizing she hadn’t done any more work. She smiled sheepishly and Joe rolled his eyes in mock annoyance. It was almost a private interaction, despite the others around, and she continued to look at him, huffing playfully in response, causing them both to laugh.

With a quick look around, Olivia realized no one else had noticed the exchange, and she looked down at her hands to hide her smile. When her eyes moved back to Joe’s, she was surprised to find his were still on her. She bit her lip at the unrecognizable look filling his eyes, one she could not begin to decipher, but she wanted to know what he was thinking in that moment.

“Thanks Joe,” Nick spoke up, and Olivia was broken from her trance. She watched as Nick reached forward to give his older brother a hug. It was an action not often made between the brothers. The surprise evident in Joe’s eyes but he wrapped his arms around Nick. Denise stood behind them misty eyed, but did not comment on the embrace, only watching it with a smile on her face.

“Wow,” Olivia said after a moment, the brothers now standing awkwardly across from each other. She stood beside Nick, glancing at his organized stacks, “I can’t believe you have to unpack all of this.”

“You’re not going to help,” Nick teased, but she shook her head, smirking slightly. “Oh, right,” he laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, “moral support, that’s it.”

“Yes, Sir, Nicky poo,” she grinned sadly, knowing they didn’t have much time together left. He flushed at the nickname, glancing to ensure that the door closed, but no one had heard outside of the little group.

“You can unpack later,” Denise said after a moment. “Come to lunch with us.” Nick bit his lip as he looked to his mother and she nodded in understanding, “I suppose we’ll see you soon enough.”

“It’s not that long,” he tried but it didn’t stop his mother’s tears as they embraced. Olivia moved closer to him as they pulled away.

Olivia smiled sadly when Nick leaned forward, his face dipping into the crook of her neck as his arms wrapped around her body. After several minutes she pulled away, and she was sure, his eyes were glistening where hers were not. It was a common notion, she rarely cried even in the saddest of moments, and this was no different.

The next several minutes filled with small talk as they walked out to the parking lot, an effort to draw out the inevitable departure. Olivia noticed how Joe joined in the conversation where he hadn’t before, and she realized that she’d mistaken his initial reluctance to mean he didn’t want to be there.

She smiled at the thought, knowing how often Nick felt out of place with his brothers, Joe and Kevin had always been closer than Nick had with either of them. Olivia sighed softly as she watched them embrace a final time outside the van, Denise already in the front seat sniffling and she in the middle, waiting for Joe to climb into the back. Olivia gave a final hug towards her best friend; one she’d miss desperately over the coming months.

“Okay,” Nick said after several minutes, leaning his head inside the door. Joe slid into the back seat and Olivia gave Nick a final smile, a silent reassurance between the two of them for the coming months.

She couldn’t avoid the sadness in his eyes, though it was a relief, as if Nick would miss her as much as she would him. He shut the door with a final nod, patting the frame with his hand before stepping against the curb. His eyes on them as his mother pulled away, waving madly through the front window. Olivia sighed as she watched him disappear, and kept watching until they reached the highway, Denise easily merging into the traffic.

“Hey,” she jumped as she heard Joe’s voice. The sound was close, and she held in a breath as she turned. Joe’s eyes held warmth as he stared curiously, and he patted the seat beside him.

“You should sit back here with me,” he stated easily. Olivia’s eyebrows rose at the suggestion, once again surprised by his actions, but without a reason to say no, slowly nodded. She hesitantly unbuckled her belt and slid to the back, her heart pounding suddenly as she sat back against the window seat. She glanced to see Denise paying no attention to her sudden change, and with a slow breath, Olivia slid the belt over her lap buckling herself in.

“So,” she said slowly, glancing to see Joe watching her. Olivia was attempting to joke on the sudden awkwardness she’d felt, anything to ease the uncomfortable feeling she was familiar with. In the years of friendship, she’d only been alone with Joe on rare occasions, and was now feeling she was with a mere stranger, yet at the same time, he wasn’t.

“Why didn’t you go here too?” Joe suddenly asked and she furrowed her eyebrows at the question, still unable to hide the disappointment at the rejected scholarship. She bit her lip, unsure of how to answer. “It’s obvious you wanted to,” Joe said quieter, his head tilting to the side as he examined her.

“I didn’t have the money,” Olivia answered softly, adjusting her body as she sat stiffly, her body firm into the corner of the van. She moved her legs onto the seat so that her body faced his, and he followed suit, their knees resting against each other as they sat Indian style. She smiled softly, “Suzie doesn’t have that kind of money.”

“I’m sure you got good enough grades,” Joe reasoned but she shrugged, turning to face the front of the vehicle. “When do you start at community?”

“I start at Black Hawk,” she said with a smile, pressing her knee into his, referring to the local community college. “Next week… but you should know all this, you went there for your certificate.”

“I did,” Joe acknowledged after a moment, his mouth forming a smirk. His eyes bore into hers and she smiled softly, “I was attempting to make small talk.”

“I see,” she chuckled. She tapped her knee with her fingers, “I think you might be failing at it.” He gasped in feigned surprise, making her laugh at his antics.

“So,” he said after a moment and she giggled at the word, understanding why he’d spoken it, the same she had before. “What’re you going to school for?”

“Um, I don’t know,” Olivia admitted with a shrug. “I suppose I’ll figure it out when I get there.” He nodded in understanding, as she suddenly had a feeling he would.

“You still working over at the coffee shop?” he asked, and she nodded, mentioning to the job that she’d held onto for the last few years. A part of her was surprised he remembered, though now recalled seeing his face a time or two.

“Yep,” she smiled, lowering her voice, “so, Joe, you still working at the body shop?” He rolled his eyes, giving her knee a squeeze in faux annoyance, the touch causing her stomach to twist comfortably.

“It’s an auto collision shop,” he corrected, and Olivia giggled as his fingers dug further into her knee, tickling her as a result. “I’ll have to remember that.” He spoke and tapped her knee at the same time, his eyes boring into hers as her laughter faded, though the feeling lingered beneath her skin.

“Hush,” she ordered him with a smile on her face. His face matched hers and as their gazes lingered, she felt herself blushing, a realization that made her heart begin to pound slightly faster in her chest. Joe cleared his throat after a moment and Olivia instantly dropped her eyes, staring at his chest, watching the way he breathed in an out much seemingly faster than normal.

“So, uh,” he started to speak, slowly as though choosing his thoughts carefully, and she nodded, encouraging him to continue though she didn’t raise her eyes, “you like working there? At the coffee shop?”

“I do… I’ll be picking up full time hours starting next week,” Olivia admitted, and he looked at her surprised. “Suzie is struggling to pay for this semester; I plan to pay my way through.”

“That’s really awesome,” Joe said after a moment. His eyes met hers, his stare intent, and there wasn’t a hint of amusement, “I’ll bet your aunt is proud.”

“Well, actually…” she trailed off chuckling nervously. “Don’t tell her that, she doesn’t know that I’ll be working so many hours… or why.”

“Just between you and me,” he nodded in agreement to keep her secret. Olivia’s eyes widened slightly as he moved forward suddenly, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips, his fingers brushing her knee, “just between you and me,” he whispered, repeating his promise, “I’m good at keeping secrets.”

Joe continued to tap her leg, as though to assure her and she realized it was to the beat of the music on the radio, one of her favorite songs playing. Olivia focused back to him and she nodded, taking in his words as she fought to ease the race of her heart. He moved back to lean against the window once again and her eyes stayed on him, even when he was looking down at his hands.

“Thanks,” she smiled, responding after much too long, and he returned the action. Their eyes met once again, and they fell into an easy silence, one not filled with any type of expectations.

Joe leaned his head against the side of the seat after a moment and she chuckled softly as his eyes began to close once again. She turned to glance to the front of the car, reading the coming road signs, and when she glanced back to Joe, he was asleep. Olivia sighed softly and leaned back in her own seat, closing her eyes but not sleeping, waiting for them to arrive back home. She could feel his warmth where their legs were still so close together, but she surprised herself by not shuffling away from his touch.

“We’re here,” Denise called after the last hour of the drive ended. Olivia groaned loudly, stretching in relief, her arms high above her head as she spread her legs out in the confines of the van. When she noticed Joe was still asleep, she tapped Joe’s leg with her foot, and after a few attempts he finally jerked awake, his eyes wide with surprise.

“We’re here, sleepyhead,” Olivia informed him with a soft laugh. He nodded, groaning as he stretched, slowly following her out the door as it opened. Olivia moved from the van, grabbing her purse and slinging it over her shoulder in preparation to leave, but Denise’s voice stopped her.

“You’re not staying?” she asked but Olivia shook her head, smiling sadly at the look in her eyes. “We’re going to have pizza or maybe something else.”

“No,” Olivia shook her head, glancing back towards Joe once. She returned to look at Denise and stared into her eager eyes and she couldn’t fully say no to her, “maybe in a few days? I’ll see if Suzie can come,” she suggested, and Denise nodded with a smile. Denise reached forward, giving her a short hug before pulling away, stepping backwards in the direction of the house, but still facing her.

“How about Tuesday?” she asked, and Olivia agreed with a smile. “Good, then it’s settled… now drive safe.”

“I will,” Olivia smiled, knowing her house was roughly a five-minute drive from the Jonas house. “Thanks Denise, see you Tuesday.” Denise turned and headed into the house, and she wondered if she should change her intent to go home but knew the other woman could handle it.

Olivia moved to turn in the direction of her car and was surprised to see Joe watching her from the short distance. She held in a breath as she lifted her eyes to his, their gaze locking. Several seconds passed and she bit her lips before dropping her eyes. She held her breath as she turned, walking swiftly to her car, not completely sure of what had just happened.

Olivia thought of the last few hours, she’d spoken to him for virtually the first time, seeing a side of Joe she hadn’t before. None of it made sense. She shook her head, trying to relieve herself of the thoughts, anything to ease the race of her heart. Despite her intentions, the entire drive home, her mind continued to recreate the last look she’d received from him, the way Joe’s eyes had burned into hers. It caused her breath to quicken all over again and left her wondering exactly what that meant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos are divine!


	3. Three

“Olivia, you’re early,” Denise called when the younger woman came close. Olivia grinned at the warmth of the greeting, her eyes on the older woman as she walked up the stretch of their driveway.

She was just arriving the for the Tuesday dinner as they’d planned, but due to slow business, she’d been sent home from work early. With little deliberation, she decided to drive straight to Nick’s house, rather than waiting around another hour for the previously agreed upon time. She hurried her step as Denise walked towards her, smiling as she so often was, “I’m so glad you decided to join us today.”

“Of course,” Olivia smiled, approaching the older woman. Denise stood in front of her flowers, watering the small garden she’d created years before. It wasn’t much, but it stretched around the front of the home to each of the sides. It was something that she and her aunt never had time or the patience to do at their own home, and she’d always appreciated this garden and the time Denise put into it.

Olivia turned as she heard the sound of a car engine shutting off. She furrowed her brow as the figure exited the unfamiliar vehicle, knowing it wasn’t Mr. Jonas’ car. After a moment, her eyes widened at the sight of Joe. She shouldn’t have been surprised, but it was there anyway, her pulse quickening at the sight of him. He was driving a different truck, but one he, no doubt, had purchased in recent months. She, without reasoning, stared at where he’d parked it behind her car, and couldn’t believe she was forcing herself not to stare at him. 

“Joseph must’ve gotten off work early,” Denise mused, her gaze the same direction as Olivia’s. Denise turned after a moment and Olivia followed suit, standing with her arms across her chest, watching the woman finish watering the flowers. Her heart began to race as she listened to the footsteps near and she thought of Denise’s statement.

“They probably hired new people,” Olivia wondered aloud, staring at nothing in particular, instead intent on listening to the footsteps behind her.

“Hm?” Denise asked but Olivia immediately shook her head as her cheeks flooded with warmth. With a quick glance, she knew Denise’s attention was not on her, but her flowers.

They turned as Joe called out his mother’s name, approaching her quickly and wrapping her in a quick hug. Denise’s face flushed in surprise and Olivia smiled at the sight, able to see how much Denise needed it with Nick’s absence. After a moment, Joe turned to face Olivia, and her heart began to pound faster in her chest, even without him saying a word, she felt it and was almost sure he could hear it.

“Olivia,” he said with a nod, and she involuntarily flushed at the way he said her name, so drawn out and purposeful.

Joe’s voice was softer than she expected, lower than when he spoke to his mother. It felt as though it was only for her, the difference apparent as she listened to it again in her mind. She heard it repeat a few times before she looked to him once again and realized he was still staring at her. Her eyes widened in embarrassment, while his filled with amusement. The smile grew on his face, her breath catching as he stepped closer.

“It’s good to see you again so soon,” Olivia said softly, struggling to maintain her composure in her state of humiliation. This was Nick’s older brother, a boy she’d barely spent time with, but suddenly she didn’t want to see him as a silly older brother. She wanted to get to know _Joe._

Joe nodded and as he turned towards the house, held out a hand as though encouraging her to walk in front of him to the door. Olivia stepped forward, understanding the gesture, and knew he was close behind her. It was a thought that made her somewhat jittery and had her double-checking each step to ensure she wouldn’t fall and embarrass herself once again. She slowed her step as she neared the door and bit her lip as a hand suddenly brushed against her back. It showed how close he’d been walking behind her, and with a feel of his breath teasing the back of her shoulder, how close he still was.

“You smell good,” Joe whispered, and Olivia jumped at the sound of his voice near her ear. With wide eyes, she turned to stare at him where they’d entered in the foyer to find his eyes as wide as hers. “I mean, you know,” he mumbled, his cheeks flushing a teasing shade of pink, “it must be the flowers or something.”

“Yes, Joe,” she teased with an unfamiliar burst of confidence. She smirked as he rolled his eyes, his smile growing and her lips turning into a wide smile as she leaned closer to him to speak, “the thirty seconds I stood in front of the garden often influences my body odor.”

“Brat,” he said with a smile and Olivia laughed softly, her eyes still on him as he continued to stare at her at the same time. They stood somewhat awkwardly, she wasn’t sure if she should go further inside the house or not, having not been fully invited to do so.

Denise neared a moment later, smiling warmly and patted her shoulder before slipping off her shoes and walked into the kitchen. Olivia followed the older woman deeper inside the house, slipping her off shoes and setting her purse beside the closet door. She knew Joe was still there, and she couldn’t understand why she was suddenly so aware of him, but she had to force herself not to look, wondering if he was still watching her. A part of her desperately wanted him to be doing just that.

“Kevin should be over in a while with Danielle,” Denise informed her as she entered the kitchen. Olivia nodded, focusing on her instead of her son. She enjoyed time with Kevin but understood they wouldn’t come earlier because of work. She stood in the doorway as Denise moved around the kitchen; she pulled out several items, setting them on the counter before turning towards Olivia.

“I’m going to take a quick shower before they get here.” She nodded, aware that Denise had most likely been in the garden long before she’d arrived and continued to stand, now feeling uncomfortable that she’d arrived so early. “You do whatever you’d like while we wait, dear.”

“I’m gonna lie down,” Olivia stated after a moment, silently asking for permission and Denise nodded in response. She glanced towards the younger girl once more before moving down the far hall, in the direction of her room.

Olivia wasn’t tired, but without Nick’s presence she felt out of place and unsure of what to do with herself. She yawned slowly as she sought out the undoubtedly darkened living room down the opposite hall. She’d awoken early for a shift at the coffee house and used her break to get her books for her classes, which were starting the following week.

Despite her insistence she wasn’t tired, Olivia suddenly felt the need for a nap or at the very least to relax for a little while. Joe was there somewhere and while she couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing, knew it was rude to disturb him. She was fully aware they had a while before dinner, so she walked into the familiar room, moving slowly towards her favorite sofa without turning on the lights.

Olivia fell back into the couch, and sighed, feeling herself calm in the empty room, not having realized how tense she was. She let her head fall against the pillows, closing her eyes as the seconds passed and her body curled into the soft cushions. She could feel the sleep looming but just as she was about to succumb, a sound shook her awake and she opened her eyes to glance towards the direction it in the doorway.

Through the darkened room, she wasn’t sure if they noticed her presence. She watched as Joe walked in, falling back against the opposite couch. His legs hung over the side, and she smiled at the way they swung, almost childlike and she found herself, once again, seeing him in a different light. He’d always been her best friend’s older brother, and there was never a need for more and until now, had never questioned it.

They’d never held an actual conversation and, when they did, it was only discussing trivial issues such as more beans at the dinner table or where Nick might be. Olivia rested her head back after a few moments, releasing a soft sigh as her eyes closed again. Though she had been close to sleep, she knew it wasn’t coming anymore and allowed her thoughts to roam freely. There was a sense of comfort having Joe across the room from her, not that she needed it, but he was there all the same.

Olivia’s body suddenly stiffened as she heard a noise near her, as though someone was trying to be quiet yet was failing. She forced her breathing to remain slow as she struggled to figure out what it was without opening her eyes. After a moment, she felt the fabric of a blanket cover her body, lying loosely from her feet to her chin. She breathed a slow breath, her heart pounding as he brushed against her arm and she knew, without looking that it was Joe.

Olivia bit the inside of her lip as he carefully covered her legs, taking his time to straighten blanket around her feet and then her hands. She tried not to smile as he adjusted it around her chin, his hands smoothing the fabric evenly before moving to tuck it behind her shoulders, as though to keep every possible draft from entering.

When he pulled away from her, Olivia didn’t open her eyes, but she knew he was still there, waiting. For what, she didn’t know, but Olivia knew. She couldn’t find it in her to be bothered by the notion, there was something about him that she didn’t mind at all. She wanted to speak, to break the silence, but held back, keeping to herself like she usually did.

After nearly a minute, which she counted in her head, Olivia dared to open her eyes, and watched his figure retreat towards the couch he’d once been laying on. She bit her lip, holding in the smile as she eyed him carefully, her eyes roaming freely and without fear. Her eyes were caught where the back of his shirt had folded over, perhaps when he’d been lying down, and revealed a thin line of skin before the waistband of his boxers.

She licked her lips as she stared, her face flushing in the darkness, then suddenly, so much that she didn’t expect it, he turned back to her. Joe’s eyes immediately found hers through the darkness, yet his weren’t surprised that she was awake and through her quickened breaths, she wondered if he’d known it all along. Her face continued to flush at the thought and despite her embarrassment, didn’t drop his gaze.

After a moment, he gave her a small smile and finally turned away after she returned the gesture. He moved, turning his back to her as he exited the room, her eyes watching him without accord to look away. After he departed, she closed her eyes, and felt surprised by the rapid beat of her heart and the smile unable to fall from her lips as his face lingered in her mind.

“Where’s grandma?” Olivia heard a loud voice from the hall and smiled at the sound of Kevin and adjusted slowly to the volume.

Time had passed since Joe had left the room, obviously more than she realized, and she sat up, excited to see Alena. Kevin and Danielle’s one-year-old daughter was adorable and though Olivia didn’t spend a lot of time around them, she adored the little girl. Olivia took a few seconds to calm herself, still reveling in what had happened with Joe. She stood after a few more seconds, holding the blanket tight in her hands, smiling before folding it and intended to leave it where she’d been resting.

“Olivia,” she jumped at the sound of the voice and turned to see a just as surprised Joe in the doorway. He stood uneasily, her with the blanket clutched tightly to her chest and his hand gripping the wooden frame. “I was just coming to see if you were awake,” he explained and she nodded, chuckling after a moment to ease her self-conscious state.

“I’m awake,” Olivia responded when he still stood there, leaving her unsure of what else to say, and Joe finally nodded.

Olivia watched his lip purse and then relax before he finally turned, walking from the doorway, leaving her in confusion of the awkward moment. She watched him depart and took a shaky breath as she set the now folded blanket over the back of the couch. Her heart continued to race as she left the room in the direction of the kitchen, unsure if she’d need to help with dinner, but she hoped for the distraction.

“Olivia,” Denise greeted as she entered and it made Olivia smile, the older woman always made her feel welcome in the home. “I just got off the phone with Suzie, she got half her shift off,” Olivia felt herself lighten at the thought. Her aunt had been working as a nurse in the labor and delivery for as long as she could remember, and in the slow months of the year, she could receive anywhere from four hours to an entire shift called off if they weren’t busy.

“Olivia,” Kevin greeted loudly, still playing with Alena as he spoke, “it’s good to see you.”

Olivia nodded her head, surprised by the greeting but her attention turned towards Alena, from where she sat on his hip. Olivia immediately stood, walking close and smiling widely at the little girl. Alena leaned towards her dad, resting her head on his shoulder, but Olivia wasn’t offended, it’d been quite a while since she spent any time with her.

“We’re going to order pizza,” Denise announced, and Olivia turned in acknowledgment. Kevin grabbed the sippy cup he’d come into the kitchen for and turned in the direction of the game room, where she presumed the others had gathered. “You should go too,” Olivia jumped at the sound of Denise’s voice so close to her.

“What?” she asked. Denise smiled warmly. She rested her hand on the younger girl’s shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze, as though encouraging her to reach out.

“Go down there with the rest of them,” she responded easily. “Suzie will be here in a bit and we’ll call you all up when the pizza is here.”

“Oh, I-” Olivia started but Denise gave her a look and she conceded. “Just let me know if you need any help,” Olivia said begrudgingly as she moved from the room.

She passed the darkened living room and contemplated going in, but once she heard voices and cheers, her feet led her further down the hall towards where the others had grouped together. Her steps slowed as she neared the short number of stairs that led to the basement, now recognizing the sounds of the voices of the brothers, presumably playing some type of video game.

“Olivia,” Danielle greeted from outside the doorway and Olivia smiled sheepishly, fearing been caught in her procrastination attempts. Danielle only stood, taking Alena by the hand, and moved her back into the room where she’d apparently escaped. Danielle waved her forward and Olivia stepped in, watching as the older girl blocked the doorway with the large toy chest.

“Hey,” Olivia shivered slightly at the sound of the smooth voice, startled at the unexpected greeting and she turned to see Joe. She flushed as he smiled at her and she felt the corner of her lips twitching as her eyes locked with his, keeping the gaze far longer than necessary.

Olivia bit her lip as her cheeks continued to burn and Joe’s smile seemed to grow, his eyes boring into hers as though reaching out to her, but she couldn’t read the code. He made a move as if he was going to walk towards her, but Kevin grabbed his arm, and he jumped with surprise causing her to release a soft giggle. His eyes filled with amusement as he glanced back, giving her a slight nod, and moved back to where they’d stopped the game.

She stepped towards the couch in the corner, tucking her feet beneath her as she watched Joe return to the game with his brother. It was some type of war game, but was unsure of the name, having only seen it a few times. She chuckled as the badmouthing began. It was normal Joe and Kevin banter, but even as they grew vicious both kept it PG, conscious of Alena watching them.

After a few minutes, Olivia looked to see Alena slowly nearing her, a smile coming to her face at the sight. Though she’d rarely been around children growing up, she couldn’t help but feel drawn to them and looked forward to having some of her own. Danielle gave her a smile after she’d caught her gaze, obviously very proud of her young daughter, as any mother would be.

“She’s cute, isn’t she,” she glanced to her side as Joe sat beside her on the couch. Olivia nodded slowly, biting her lip at the thoughts suddenly lingering in the back of her mind, especially with Joe sitting so close to her, his leg firmly against hers, as though he’d done it on purpose.

“She is,” Olivia finally responded, not sure of what else to say, trying to feign calm as her heart pounded in her chest. She could see Joe smile from the corner of her eye, but didn’t turn to face him, even as his upper body seemed to lean towards her.

“You ever want kids?” he asked after a moment, she felt surprised at the question and when she turned her head, Joe was not facing her but Alena. She pursed her lips for a moment, attempting to decipher a hidden meaning in his question, but there was none. She smiled to herself and turned her head back to the front, biting her lip at the sincere look on his face.

“Yeah,” Olivia finally answered as her eyes moved towards the small girl, watching as she slowly approached Joe. Her fingers gripped his jeans as she grinned up at him and then glanced to Olivia.

Olivia immediately leaned over, resting a hand on Joe’s leg while the other went to the little girl’s hand. Alena gripped her fingers for several seconds before turning back towards her parents, her giggle loud and made Olivia grin widely. She leaned back against the couch, still watching Alena waddle with her unsteady walk, and she squealed with delight as Kevin threw her up in the air then catching her in his arms.

“She’s gorgeous,” Joe whispered, and Olivia nodded, still in the blissful stated that Alena put her in with each meeting. She jumped at the feel of something brushing her hand and looked down to see Joe’s fingers curling back to his waist. She pulled her hand away, not having realized it had been resting on his leg. After a few moments, she wondered what he would have done if she put it back.

“Sorry,” she mumbled after some time, feeling the need to say it. In her embarrassment, her cheeks flushed, and she dared to look up at Joe. He shrugged, as though to remain nonchalant but his eyes burned into hers with an intensity, she wasn’t aware he possessed.

Olivia had known this boy, this man, for years, but suddenly it was as though he was a completely new person in her life, as though they’d just met. There was still the familiarity that she’d known from a distance, but she was crossing the line into his circle and despite a sense of apprehension, she liked the feeling of being there, of being close to him. She wondered if he felt it too.

“Pizza’s here,” a voice called, and Olivia jumped up from the couch, needing the space to form proper breaths.

Olivia stepped forward without looking back, feeling awkward and nervous around Joe, her heart pounding at a rate she didn’t think was possible. Though she often felt out of place, this was a new sense of nervousness, in a different way. She was no longer in high school, and boys were not viewed as they once were, just as Joe not viewed as he once was. She watched Danielle and Kevin depart with Alena, and knew she should follow closely, as to not make her altered state obvious.

The small group moved up the stairs to the kitchen, following the smell of pizza before scattering around the entrances of the kitchen to grab their food. As they exited, she noticed either they went into the main room or the living room, where she hoped they weren’t stealing her favorite seat on the couch.

Olivia gave her aunt a welcoming hug before grabbing a few pieces of the pepperoni pizza, her favorite, and walking into the living room. The lights were now illuminating the room, giving it a different feeling than what had existed earlier. She was lost in her thoughts, thinking of the evening and everything that had happened thus far. She heard a light quarrel from the following room over a movie, it usually followed the pizza, and if either Kevin or Joe here expected to choose, some type of argument erupted.

Olivia shook her head with a smile, glancing as Suzie entered the room a few moments later, taking a seat beside her. Denise and her husband Paul came in shortly thereafter and sat on the opposite couch, across from them. The room was silent as they ate their pizza, and Olivia was slightly disappointed, searching for some escape from her thoughts, which were desperately scattered and filled with lingering uncertainty.

“You okay?” Olivia glanced towards her aunt in confusion, surprised to hear her speak. “You look as though you’ve got something on your mind,” she explained. Olivia bit her lip, flushing as she shrugged, staring down at her plate, wondering how to respond to her question. She glanced as Suzie nodded, as though she understood but Olivia knew it was just a way for Suzie to make her feel as though she wasn’t alone in her confusion.

“Just boy stuff,” Olivia responded after a moment, wanting to appease her aunt’s worries. Suzie glanced at her questioningly, but Olivia sighed softly, silently informing her she wasn’t going to elaborate.

Olivia furrowed her brow, wondering if she might be able to speak to her aunt, perhaps to clarify if these were passing feelings on Joe’s behavior. Mostly, what it meant to feel so out of sorts. Was he feeling the same way, the same confusion, or was he simply being overly nice or something? She turned to her aunt to speak, but instead gasped as a sudden figure sat beside her.

“You don’t mind,” Danielle spoke up and Olivia shook her head vigorously to hide her still startled state. “Kevin and Joe are manning the highchair, and this is my vacation.”

“Awesome,” Olivia smiled softly, taking a final bite of her pizza, surprised at how quickly she’d eaten it. She glanced towards Danielle and released a breath to give her some confidence, “I could watch her, you know?”

“Huh?” Danielle asked in confusion and Olivia’s face flushed.

“Um, Alena,” she explained hesitantly. “I work a lot and stuff, but if I have a night off… I wouldn’t mind watching her.”

“That’d be great,” Danielle smiled warmly. “Thanks Olivia. That means a lot me, to us.” Olivia nodded, staring down at her plate, smiling to herself without reason.

As the conversation began around her, she stood, not really paying attention to them as it was. She moved from the room and went into the kitchen to discard her plate and wash her hands. She knew it was time for her to leave soon anyway, as she didn’t want to overstay her welcome.

“There you are,” Olivia jumped as Joe’s voice sounded in her ear, his breath spreading across the sensitive skin. He chuckled as he leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his strong chest, standing directly beside where she stood washing her hands. She struggled to release a normal breath, and Olivia began to wonder if Joe was aware of the effect, the one he had on her.

She looked up at him, expecting him to say more but smiled as she caught him staring at her, more specifically to her hair, which was resting comfortably along her waist. She bit her lip as his eyes turned to her and he flushed as though realizing he still hadn’t spoken. He laughed nervously as he finally spoke, he hands falling to hold the counter on each side of his waist.

“We’re gonna watch a movie in the game room,” he finally spoke, clearing his throat between his words, his gaze turning more in tune with her, once again surprising her.

“Who’s we?” Olivia asked softly. Olivia bit her lip as she looked down, her hand grabbing the towel from beside the sink.

She turned to stand against the counter beside him, much closer than she normally would have with someone in the household. Even after her hands deemed dry, she held the towel, letting it hang loosely between her fingers. Joe suddenly rested his elbow against hers, the touch causing her thoughts to scatter, and she looked up at him to see him shrug, smiling coyly.

“Who’s we?” she repeated hesitantly, and Joe’s eyes widened slightly, causing her to smile.

“Us,” he said simply, “You and me.” As she heard the words, her mouth formed an ‘O’, but she didn’t speak. Olivia dropped her gaze after a moment, failing to hide the smile that formed as her heart pounded. The word continued to roll around in her head, causing the sensation to raise deep in her stomach… _us_. He pressed his elbow firmly against hers and she lifted her eyes to his once again, his smirk evident on his features, “Who else did you want to be there?”

“Um,” she breathed, her voice was slightly shaky with nerves. When her eyes met his again and with the smile on his face, she flushed, feeling bold as she pressed her finger against his shirt and spoke, “no one.” Olivia bit her lip as she stepped back, breathing deep as she left the close proximity of his body, needing a moment to breathe properly with how confident she was trying to sound.

“No one?” Joe asked, stepping closer to her but leaving space between them. She shrugged, unable to hold in the smile at the look on his face. She continued to glance towards him, not fully meeting his gaze, but staring at the way his eyes were shining with emotion.

Olivia bit her lip as she replayed the previous moment in her mind, listening to the ’us’ to repeat like so many moments between over the course of the entire evening. She didn’t recognize the look on his face but still felt her lips turn upwards before she walked away wordlessly. Suddenly, Olivia knew. She wasn’t going home any time soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow my tumblr for updates, snippets, etc. Thanks for reading. Kudos and comments are lovely!


	4. Four

With her interaction with Joe lingering in her mind, Olivia’s pace was quick as she moved from the kitchen towards the living room but was surprised to find Suzie exiting in a hurry.

“I have to go to work,” she explained in a rush. “Apparently, they got busy... must be a full moon or something.”

Olivia nodded, smiling as her aunt kissed her forehead and rushed towards the door, softly slamming it on her way out. Denise and Paul walked out of the room just a few seconds later with their empty plates, smiling at Olivia, who still stood in the same place. She thought of the movie, her initial intention to leave, and, as always, questioned what to do.

As her encounter with Joe in the kitchen replayed in her mind yet again, Olivia found herself going towards the basement. Any hesitance was gone. In its place was a sense of excitement, an exhilarating rush as her heart began to pound, and she knew her cheeks flushed as her smile grew, all at the thought of spending just a few more minutes with Joe.

Olivia sauntered down to the game room, her nerves growing as she stepped towards the doorway, and she quickly wiped her hands on her jeans, drying them. She moved inside. Her eyes widened, surprised to see Kevin and Danielle sitting on the more oversized couch with Alena nearly asleep between them, despite the early hour. The only person missing was Nick, but she couldn’t think about that at the moment, only focused on his brother, seated across the room.

Olivia saw Joe on the loveseat and moved to step towards it but hesitated, unsure. She stared at the couch, questioning if she should sit beside him or the stool between the sofas, or maybe it was better to sit on the floor. Olivia wasn’t sure what kind of movie they were planning to watch, after all, and didn’t want to stand out from the group. Her face flushed as she realized she was still standing awkwardly in the center of the room. Her hands clenched as she tried to decide, her heart racing in her insecure state.

“Olivia,” she heard Joe’s voice and lifted her eyes. As her gaze locked with his, she immediately decided and moved to sit down beside him. “You alright?” he whispered as she sat.

Olivia stared for a moment before nodding and gulped nervously, though she wasn’t quite sure why she was tense. This was just Joe, her best friend’s older brother, and that was it. She’d never had so much as a crush on the boy, and now she was second-guessing everything around him. None of it made sense.

“Hit play, Joe,” Kevin called, and Olivia lifted her eyes, realizing Joe had been watching her. He moved his gaze at the sound of Kevin’s voice, pressing the button on the remote that rested in his hand.

Olivia tried to focus on the ad playing, forcing her heart to calm the way it had been pounding deep in her chest. It hadn’t stopped since the moment she’d stepped in the room. When the main menu popped up, she smiled at the sight of the romantic comedy, one she hadn’t seen yet. She glanced as Joe hit play on the remote before setting it to the side, leaving open space between them.

It was only a few minutes into the movie Joe shifted closer to her, laying a blanket over their laps. Olivia sat stiffly as he spread it out carefully, his hand brushing against hers. The movement caused her breath to catch, but after a few moments with no interference, Olivia began to relax once again, letting it all happen. Despite Joe, she was able almost to pay attention to the movie. She laughed at the funny parts, smiled at the cute details. She ignored the way her body seemed tuned to his every movement, even though they weren’t even touching. They were close, the tension teasing her with each passing second.

The movie was nearly half over when Joe reached his hand behind the couch, his hand grabbing a small amount of her hair and pulling it to her front. It was long enough for him to brush the locks with his fingers and still rest them in his lap as the movie progressed. She could feel each touch of his hand. Each gentle tug against her scalp caused her breath to catch. She’d seen him staring before, and perhaps he liked the length of her hair. Either way, she didn’t want him to let go.

“You like this movie?” he spoke in a mere whisper, barely able to catch the words. Olivia nodded but didn’t dare turn her head towards him. His voice was soft in her ear, his breath tickling her skin, and she knew what she wanted, what her body was humming for, but she couldn’t meet his unwavering gaze.

“Yeah,” Olivia finally spoke, almost surprised she was able to find her voice.

The air was so tight, and even with the space separating them, she felt him beside her. She licked her lips and pulled the bottom lip between her teeth as she dared to glance towards him. His eyes flickered, his gaze moving towards her bitten lip, and Olivia could only flush at the thought, the wonderment of what he might actually be thinking. At a sound from across the room and Joe jumped, dropping her hair from his hands, and he turned away, disappointing Olivia. 

After a short while, Olivia felt Joe’s hand slide beside hers and held in the smile as his pinky finger wrapped over hers. She didn’t move her hand, nor did she acknowledge the touch as she fought to catch her lost breath. Olivia bit her lip as she stared at the screen, her eyes on the movie but her mind elsewhere altogether as his fingers moved against hers. They sat that way as the film continued, but it wasn’t until the credits began to play that she realized how much she’d missed.

“We’re gonna head out,” Kevin spoke up, causing her to jump and Joe’s hold, however small, to tighten. She expected him to pull away, yet he didn’t. Despite the soft chuckles leaving Joe’s mouth, she didn’t look at him but watched Kevin groan as he stood, stretching wildly.

Olivia sat, releasing slow, even breaths as Joe gave her hand a squeeze beneath the blanket, and before she knew it, he was rising from the couch. She thought of leaving but instead stayed still, watching the scene before her. Olivia was afraid if she stood, she’d give up and chicken out as she always did, but didn’t want to this time. This time she wanted to wait for Joe’s cue, unsure if he felt the same as she, but the hope was there.

Her eyes were on the older couple as Danielle packed their stuff, and Kevin threw Alena over his shoulder. Joe turned after they’d exited the room, his eyes moving to Olivia as though waiting for her to stand and leave as they did. After a few moments when she didn’t move, she watched Joe smile to himself. His eyes remained down as he turned to choose another movie before returning to sit beside her on the couch.

“Hey,” he smiled, and she returned it. With a quick breath, Olivia shifted to face him, settling her side against the back of the couch. She sat at an awkward angle, but it was comfortable and mixed with how he stared at her. She was unexplainably at ease.

“Hey,” she repeated softly in the silence of the room. She leaned her head against the back of the couch as he did, their eyes meeting. “So,” she started slowly, and they laughed nervously, “tell me something, Joe.”

“Tell you what?” he asked, and she shrugged. He adjusted the blanket that had fallen and scooting closer to her as he pulled it back over their laps. She shifted. It wasn’t until she stilled that she realized how close they were together, her feet on the couch, her toes nearly resting beneath his leg.

“Anything,” she answered with a smile. “You’re smart,” she teased, her fingers shoving slightly against Joe’s knee, “you’ll think of something.” Joe shook his head, shifting the corner the blanket over his knee as he did so, and he moved towards her in response. Her heart pounded as he sat Indian style, his knees resting against her legs.

“Okay,” Joe sighed after a moment, and she turned her attention back to his face. He cocked his head to the side, deep in thought, and she continued to smile at the level of amusement in his voice. He held up a finger as though successful, pointing it loosely in her direction. “When I was eight,” he paused dramatically, “When I was eight, I stole something.”

“What?” Olivia asked curiously. He turned his head to the side in confusion, causing her to laugh.

“I really stole something,” he explained, and she giggled at his response. His fingers moved across her shin, first just drawing a line with his finger but leaving it there, lingering against her leg.

“No, I mean,” Olivia said softly, her laughter fading into a simple smile. “What did you steal?”

“Oh,” he chuckled. His lips turned in an amused smile as he stared. Despite his easy demeanor, his eyes remained on her, his gaze intense, staring as though she was the only thing in the room. She bit her lip, and he gave her a slight nod, finally speaking and answering her question, “Some gummy bears from, you know, those bins they use to have that held all the candy at the store.”

“I see,” she nodded, and he shrugged nonchalantly. Her hands rested around her knees, holding them close to her chest, and she sucked in a breath as his fingers slid beside hers.

Joe bit his lip as he eased one hand from her leg, bringing to rest on his. Instead of only holding her pinky as before, he wrapped his fingers over hers. His thumb brushed along her fingertips as the silence grew thick around them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. It didn’t contain her usual fears and inclinations. Instead, the intense exhilaration from his actions lingered, her heart pounding by all the things it could mean.

“Tell me something,” he asked, and she shrugged. Olivia tightened the hold on his hand as she shifted, crossing her legs beneath her as she closed some of the space between them, and she felt relieved when he moved closer as well. Joe chuckled, and she glanced at him, remembered he’d prodded her in the same way. “There’s something,” he said softly, urging her to answer, as he used his other hand to play with the tips of her fingers, 

“I don’t have anything,” she grinned, trying to keep her body calm, but he shook his head at her answer. “Okay,” she conceded, her heart racing as she shifted her body closer to his, her knee resting against the side of his leg. Her head leaned against the couch, turning towards him, and she resisted the urge to rest her head on his shoulder roughly an inch from her. He cleared his throat, and she flushed, turning her attention back to his face, “I once cheated,” she whispered, drawing out the rest, and he nodded, “off of Nick on a test.”

“Did Nick know?” Joe gasped, obviously aware of Nick’s firm outlook towards cheating. She shook her head, laughing at his response, tapping a finger loosely against his chest, “You better not tell him.”

“Oh, I won’t,” Olivia grinned. She felt herself leaning forward, as though someone might overhear, and he leaned in just as far, “there’s a lot that Nick doesn’t know about me.”

“No way,” he teased. Olivia shrugged almost nonchalantly, but feeling comfortable so close to him, his hand fully wrapped around hers now, the tips of his fingers sliding between hers.

“Way,” she mocked, and he laughed. Even as silence fell between them, the smile never fell completely off her face, growing with each look from him. As time passed, they continued to lean closer to each other. She didn’t pull away, silently begging the space to close between them, unable to make a move herself.

“Is this part of the things you don’t discuss?” Joe asked softly, squeezing her hand gently, and she shrugged, smirking slightly. Their faces were close as they spoke, but she didn’t lean in any further, and neither did he.

“Not yet,” she whispered, her eyes widening at the implication of what she just said. Joe only flushed slightly, a grin forming on his face, yet it did not meet hers.

“Can I ask something?” Joe spoke after a few moments, and Olivia nodded. His hold tightened on her hand as his thumb smoothed along the skin. “Did Nick ever rub it in… that he got the scholarship, and you didn’t?”

“N-no,” Olivia stuttered, staring at him with wide eyes. She bit her lip as Joe’s eyes bore into hers, and she knew that he understood. She whispered, “at least not intentionally.”

“I only asked… I know how Nick is,” Joe explained gently, and he lifted his eyes to hers. “I just don’t want you to take that to heart, I don’t know why you didn’t get it, and I may be a bit biased, but I think… I think you should’ve.”

“Thank you,” Olivia whispered, her voice filled with many emotions but mostly appreciation. “It really means a lot… but can I be honest?”

“Of course,” he answered quickly, and she flushed at the firmness in his voice as though it was no question.

“I’m sort of glad I didn’t get it,” she admitted, and his eyes grew in confusion. “Don’t get me wrong, I still want it,” she explained, “But they have the trimesters, and it’s so much more work… I don’t know if I’d be able to maintain the required GPA.”

“I think you could,” Joe insisted, and she shook her head, still smiling.

“Let me rephrase,” Olivia said softly, and he nodded. “I suppose I know I could, but I want a life too… you know? As much as I hate it sometimes, I like having a job, and I like having some freedoms.”

“That’s…” Joe started then pursed his lips as though deep in thought, and she continued to watch him, fighting to know what he was thinking. He finally sighed, and his eyes met hers once again, now filled with amusement masking his confusion, “have you really had hangovers?”

“In all honesty,” Olivia laughed loudly, surprised by his question. She continued to smile as she spoke. “I’ve had like two,” she giggled. “And Nick never knew… but it was the only two parties that I ever went to. One beer at each, but it still hit me like a freight train.”

“Wow, a light weight,” Joe teased, and she rolled her eyes, reaching to smack his chest with the back of her free hand. His hand reached up and grabbed hers, holding it against his chest playfully, but she flushed, feeling the beat of his heart.

“I take it you have experience in that department,” she laughed, struggling to hide her nerves from how he still held both her hands. She sucked in a breath as he pressed his lips to the back before dropping it back in her lap. The sensation lingered, sending ripples of delight down her spine.

“Some,” he mused, cocking his head to the side. “I am twenty-two, after all,” Joe chuckled, and she shrugged, “I don’t drink all that much, but I certainly can handle more than one beer.”

“Shut up,” she laughed, suddenly realizing how light she felt. She continued to laugh and joke, unlike any way she usually would, and she really liked it. She glanced up to see him staring at her, and she bit her lip, still smiling, “I’m little,” she finally said, “It’s not my fault.”

“You are rather small,” his eyes trailed over her body. She shook her head, and he lifted his eyes as though surrendering and relaxed into the back of the couch as she did.

“Five-two is not that small,” she countered with a laugh, “it’s not my fault you’re like six foot.” Joe laughed aloud, his face shining with amusement as silence fell once again.

After a few moments, they fell into an easy conversation, talking long after it passed dark and into the evening. Though Olivia was aware of the hour and an early shift the following morning, she could not find the motivation to leave. Joe’s hand continued to hold hers and, as the hours passed, still kept it interlocked with his, as though the most natural thing in the world.

They slowly drifted closer to each other, and she began to wonder how she never noticed this before, him. Still, it didn’t matter anymore to her. There were several moments of silence immersed in the long conversation. It was a comfortable silence that she didn’t mind. She’d felt awkward and out of place with him before, but now Joe made her feel in a way she never had, never with anyone else, even Nick. There was a part of him she wanted to see. She hoped that whatever this was would continue. This night was the start and not the end.

Once the hour neared the change of day, officially shifting from night into morning, they both knew it was time finally to leave. They stood, picking up the mess together, their conversation only ceasing as they moved towards the front door, wary of waking his parents. Olivia picked up her shoes and purse, waiting as Joe shut off the lights, and the two left the house together.

Olivia remained quiet as they walked towards their cars, and she wondered if the darkened sky was setting the tone for what was to come. The way Joe’s hand continually brushed hers, as though he was thinking of holding it again, but her focus was on the way it made her heart race.

It was a peculiar feeling with him but welcome, and before she could focus on it too much longer, he began speaking. She felt her face flush as he talked, his fingers sliding between hers, and she tightened the grip as though to confirm the gesture. As they neared the car, she realized he had stopped speaking, and looking up at him, knew he was waiting for her to respond.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her face flushing deeper, her eyes diverted from his. “I didn’t hear what you said,” she said quietly, and he chuckled in response, his free hand poking her side.

“I said that this was nice,” Joe repeated, a broad grin on his face, and she took in the slight pink filling his cheeks. He pulled their intertwined hands between them, lifting the hands to his lips, and her eyes grew wide at the sensation, not having expected him to do that. His other hand rested loosely at her side where Joe had poked her but never moved away, only using it to step closer to her. “Really nice,” he whispered, and she bit her lip, her eyes still locked with his.

“It was,” Olivia nodded with a smile. Her fingers trembled as she raised them gently, questioning resting her hand against his chest but in the end, leaning them against the car. She held her palm flat to hide the slight tremble in her fingers. She felt so nervous with him but wasn’t truly scared of it, of him.

“I guess we haven’t really gotten to know each other before,” he said after a moment, the two of them leaning against the side of her car. Her eyes moved to his chest, watching each rise and fall as she nodded, finally lifting her eyes back to his.

“I’ve always been his best friend,” Olivia said after a moment. They both understood the reasoning, it went without saying, but this night had changed it all. She smirked, staring up at him, “I’ve never had to be your friend, Joe.”

“We should change that,” he said after a moment, his smile only for her. She stared for a few seconds before nodding, noting the way his body leaned closer to hers. His hand reached forward, grasping hers where he’d dropped it at her side, giving it a gentle squeeze. He grinned as he leaned closer, as though it was a secret only shared between them, “How about we start Friday night?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, agreeing without hesitation. A deep feeling rose in her chest as she bit her lip, attempting to hold in her wide smile. She wanted to remain nonchalant but was failing as Joe stared at her like he was, “That sounds good.”

“Um, I can pick you up at your house?” he suggested, his eyes seeming to work things out in his head. She nodded a little too eagerly, causing her face to flush once again, but he didn’t even seem to notice as he spoke, “I get off at five, so how’s seven sound?”

“Sounds good, Joe,” she smiled warmly, “really good.” He released a slow breath, smiling as he breathed, and she couldn’t help but return the gesture. He released her hand and moved aside, opening the driver’s door where he’d been leaning. She stepped forward, reluctantly admitting that she had to leave.

“I’ll see you Friday,” Joe said after a moment, and Olivia held a breath as he leaned forward, pressing his lips to her cheek.

The action confirmed what they were both feeling and gave her a sense of relief that might not be only her, that she was rational with her thoughts. After the time they’d spent talking, the hope she held now grew into excitement. Olivia couldn’t help but look forward to now coming date on Friday and the potential of what it could bring, the possibility that Joe might bring. She watched him walk away, his head turning to glance back at her, and Olivia knew. She wasn’t going to get any sleep with him on her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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